I was a loyal customer of Heritage Bakery, as I always try to support local, family-owned businesses. In the past few years I have ordered numerous large and expensive cakes from Heritage Bakery, for occasions such as 1st, 40th, and Sweet Sixteen birthday parties, baptisms, office parties and more. The employees have never been overly pleasant, but were never flat-out rude to me, either. Recently, I needed a small last-minute cake for an intimate birthday gathering. Knowing that Heritage has pre-made cakes available in their cooler; I called the bakery to inquire about the availability and variety of these pre-made cakes. Apparently, asking questions regarding flavor and size was very inconveniencing for the employees. First, while speaking to the male employee, his tone of voice indicated that I was annoying him by asking him to walk from behind the counter and look at the cakes available for purchase. He told me that there were two cakes available in the size for which I was looking. I inquired about the flavor of cake on one of the options, so he put me on hold, and came back with the answer. When I asked for the flavor of cake on the second option, he said in an annoyed tone, “let me check” and came back with the answer. I said I would like to order one of the cakes, so he transferred me to a woman to write down my order. During the 10 seconds it took to transfer me, I changed my mind about which cake I wanted. When I told the woman that I had changed my mind, she dramatically exclaimed to someone in the background, “now she’s changing her mind”! Then she yelled to someone in the background (assuming the same person), “never mind about her, just deliver the cake”! Next, she said to me in a rude tone, “Why don’t you just come in and look so you can pick one out yourself”. I said to her that if I wasn’t working, I would. She said, “Well, someone has to pick it up, they can pick one out”. Then she rudely said to me, “You’re just being so indecisive that you should just come in yourself”. I’m being so indecisive because I asked about the flavors of cake available for purchase, and changed my mind once prior to it being ordered? I told her, “I order so many cakes here; never mind”, and hung up. \r
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I called Sorella’s Bakery in Livonia and they were so friendly and pleasant. She asked how many people I wanted to feed, and took the phone to the cooler so she could tell me every variety she had available in the appropriate size. The cake was beautiful, and the taste was even more delicious than Heritage Bakery’s cakes. My family (who is used to Heritage Bakery cakes) raved about the flavor, and agreed that the cake was far superior to Heritage Bakery’s! \r
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Apparently Heritage Bakery believes that they are so successful, they can afford to treat their customers rudely. Well, sorry Heritage Bakery, but you’re just not good enough to be acting so snobby. If they keep treating their customers this way, they will not have any customers left. Especially when people discover that a bakery just down the road offers friendly and courteous customer service, along with a superior product. Plain and simple, if I am putting money in someone’s pocket, I expect to be treated with a little courtesy and respect. I will never purchase another item from Heritage Bakery. I am, however, very glad that I discovered Sorella’s Bakery. They will definitely have all of my business and referrals from now on. \r
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